


M is for Missing Mother

by Karly_Quinn



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers: Rescue Bots
Genre: Adoption, Brain death, Family, Family Loss, Gen, Gotham City Police Department, Grief/Mourning, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Teen to be safe, slight AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:13:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28227444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Karly_Quinn/pseuds/Karly_Quinn
Summary: Heatwave has drawn his own conclusions about the absent Mrs. Burns. They're pretty logical too. But that doesn't mean they're true. And in the process, he learns some very important things about his partner.Or, in other words:Heatwave is rude. Chief Burns is far more loving, tough, and patient than anyone could ever imagine. Kade has issues and giant death cats do have a spark.
Relationships: Carin/Charlie Burns, Charlie Burns/Charlie Burns's Wife, Jim Gordon & Charlie Burns, Kade Burns & Burns Family, Kade Burns & Heatwave
Comments: 1
Kudos: 24





	M is for Missing Mother

**Author's Note:**

> Ok, on Tumblr Mk Wizard has this post about a theory on what happened to Mrs. Burns. I have to agree with her reasoning. (It's an awesome post.) But it doesn't mean I have to like it. That's what we have AUs for! So, that's what inspired this.  
> Also, I must give a nod to Im_The_Doctor(Bofur1) here on AO3. Her own series The Thinker, The Feeler has greatly shaped my view of Rescue Bots.

For their first few years among humanity, the Rescue Bots didn’t notice anything strange about the Burns family. Or rather, how the kids all looked very different. After all, Cybertronians often looked nothing like their creators. Two Autobot grounders could spark a flier Decepticon with a radically different paint job. Heatwave had seen it.

But after observing human families for quite some time, and after Cece was born, Heatwave realized humans didn’t work that way. He’d come to his own conclusions about the missing Mrs. Burns.

Chief came down into the bunker in a good mood after his first date with Carin to talk with Chase. “Well, partner, so far so good. She seems like a fine woman, but I need to be sure.”

“Yeah, especially since the last one was such a jerk.” Heatwave interjected. “‘Once bitten, twice shy’ huh, Chief?”

Charlie did a spit take, but Heatwave just kept going. “Must have hurt like the dickens; you’re a brave mech for trying again…”

“Heatwave,” Chief asked, perfectly composed, “what exactly do you think happened between me and my wife?”

Heatwave looked at him funny. “I’m not sure…”

“I won’t be offended, I just want to hear your thoughts. All of them.”

Heatwave shrugged. “Well, I pulled a Chase and did some sleuthing.” He looked mildly proud. “You don’t wear your wedding ring, even though family and marriage are a big deal for you. A quick internet search revealed that’s because your marriage wasn’t a happy one. You never talk about her and there are no pictures. Plus, your kids look nothing like you, which is not normal for humans, apparently. So she probably...you know…” Heatwave gave him a pleading look.

Chief nodded. “I understand.” But before he could get any further, the other bots interrupted him.

“Grahm talks about his mother all the time!” Boulder protested. “How she helped him with his anxiety.”

“She taught Dani to fly!” Blades added.

Chase reset his vocalizer and the others fell silent.

“Heatwave, that explanation would be true for anyone else.” Chief acknowledged. “Let me explain why it’s not for me; of course my kids don’t look like me, half of them are adopted.”

* * *

_Jenifer Bruns sat in the doctor’s office as they explained exactly why her first baby would most likely be her last._

_“But will he be ok?”_

_“There is a high risk the fetus will be premature, which could lead to developmental complications and could be dangerous for you…”_

_She rolled her eyes. “Doctor, I am well aware. I’m a NICU nurse. Is my baby healthy right now?”_

_“Yes.”_

_“Thank you. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to let my supervisor know I’ll be leaving soon as the baby is born. Good day.”_

_Jenifer looked around Gotham as she walked to her husband’s waiting police cruiser. Charlie’s mother was from Main, but he’d been born and raised in the city. His semi-adopted family, the Gordons, had moved to Gotham when Jim was quite young so his father could join the police force. Jenifer had come for a paid internship, so perhaps only she realized just how messed up the city and its law enforcement in general were._

_She still loved it anyway._

_“Charlie, how do you feel about twins?”_

_Her husband nearly slammed on the breaks. “I thought you said there was only one?”_

_“I meant hypothetically.”_

_“Well, the more the merrier. What did the doctor say?”_

_“I’ll have to be careful. The baby is prone to being premature and I’m not likely to have another one.”_

_He reached over to hold her hand. “I’m sorry, dear. I know how much you wanted a large family.”_

_She smiled up at him. “Miranda approached me at work today.”_

_“Oh?”_

_“Her daughter is pregnant.”_

_“Oh.”_

_Jenifer turned to look out the window. “She hid it for six months because her boyfriend said if she told, they’d make her get an abortion. She doesn’t want that. Miranda asked what she wanted, and she decided to put the baby up for adoption. They’re looking for a family.”_

_Charlie couldn’t hide his smile. “I guess we're having twins.”_

* * *

_Everyone thought the Burns were crazy. But Dani seemed to be a good luck charm. Jenifer carried Graham all the way to term. Sure, having two was a bit of a handful. But Dani was a good big sister._

_Graham was an easy child, for the most part. A bit anxious, but not one to get in trouble. Which was a good thing. Because Dani was always finding the most precarious perches and giving her parents a heart attack._

* * *

_“GPD, freeze!”_

_Jim Gordon and Charlie Burns broke down the door and caught sight of an all to familiar sight in the ghettos of Gotham. Drunk husband, dead wife. They’d received a call that ended with a cry of pain. They were about to clear out, the killer in handcuffs when something moved behind them._

_Both their firearms came up, aimed at...a grumpy looking kid rubbing his head. “Mommy?”_

_Charlie felt his heart drop to the pit of his stomach. He put his gun away and knelt. “Hey, kiddo, you ok?”_

_The kid saw the two officers and slumped in relief. “Guess so. Teacher said to call the fuzz if we need help. Daddy was hurting Mommy again, so I called.”_

_“That was very brave of you,” Charlie said. “But why didn’t you say anything?”_

_The kid shrugged. “Got hit in the head. Where’s Mommy?”_

_“Hey, Charlie,” Jim called “recognize these?”_

_The two looked up to see the other officer holding a needle._

_“Those bad.” the kid said seriously. “Mommy takes them. Not for anybody else.” He looked back at Charlie. “Where’s Mommy?”_

_“Oh, kiddo, she’s not coming back.”_

_Charlie opened his arms and the child ran into them. “Daddy killed her. He always said he would. It’s all my…”_

_The older man stroked the kid’s red hair. “You did everything right. You were a little person doing an adult job.”_

_The boy just kept sobbing. There was no way Charlie was going to put him in the system._

_“I know that look,” Jim said with a smirk. “I’ll go call Jenifer.”_

_“What’s your name?” Charlie asked after Jim had given him the all-clear that Jenifer was ok with it._

_“Kade.” was the sniffled response._

_“Well, Kade, how would you like to live with me? You could have a brother or sister too.”_

_“Ok.”_

_Several tons of paperwork later Charlie Burns was faced with a very peeved daughter. “Daaad! What do you mean I’m not the oldest anymore?”_

* * *

Heatwave was quiet. “That...explains a lot. About Kade, too. I’ve known street kids before.”

“Cheif does not wear his wedding band because he would like to remarry. It is a signal to femmes that he is eligible.” Chase explained.

“But where are the pictures?” Heatwave asked. “And how come I’ve never heard about Jenifer?”

“Probably because you’re partnered with Kade.” They all looked up to see Graham. “I only talk about Mom when I’m driving with Boulder. Kade...we don’t really talk about Mom around Kade.”

“Why?”

Chief sighed. “Gotham was and still is a brutal city. I stuck around because the city needed every good officer it could get. My wife was on an outing with Kade when they were attacked. A crowbar to the back of the head. The man just wanted her purse and he was drunk. She was pregnant at the time with Cody. We managed to get her heart beating again...but she was brain dead. We kept Cody in the womb as long as we could before pulling the plug.”

“How?” Blades asked tentatively. “She should have lost the baby from lack of oxygen and blood before the paramedics got there.”

“Kade had an explanation for that, one I have always believed. But his therapist understandably didn’t. She kept focusing on what he ‘imagined’ and he stopped going. I think it might have something to do with why he was so hostile towards you bots.”

Heatwave’s optics were unfocused. “Kade blames himself for what happened. And seeing pictures, or just talking about her…” he looked at Chief. “They’re PTSD triggers, aren’t they?”

Charlie nodded. “Pictures, mostly. We were so worried he would hate Cody, but instead, he just loves him even more. After all, Cody looks and acts so much like her. He was our only silver lining; it was a miracle he was even conceived. After that, Jim kicked me out. I’d recently reconnected with my grandfather, and he was getting ready to retire. Besides, Ezra was a good friend of mine and he was moving to Griffin Rock anyway.”

“What did Kade say that the therapist wouldn’t believe?” Boulder asked.

“That’s for Heatwave to find out.”

* * *

It was very quiet that patrol. Kade kept fidgeting in his seat and Heatwave didn’t know what to do. It was Kade who broke the silence.

“My therapist thought I was crazy. My dad nearly hit her when she suggested putting me in Arkham. Because there was no way a giant alien robot cat with feelings existed. Some days I thought I imagined it too. Then you showed up, proof I wasn’t nuts, and I couldn’t tell anyone.”

“Back on Cybertron, mechs would think the same of me if I said I’d met sentient organics.” Heatwave admitted. “I can see how it would make you bitter.”

“His name was Ravage.”

“The cybercat?”

“Yeah.”

“I think I met him once or twice. Smart cat. I’m not surprised he helped you. I don’t know if he’s still alive, considering Optimus won’t even tell us what we’re fighting.”

“He saved Cody.”

“Oh?”

“M-Mom...she wasn’t breathing.” Heatwave noted how Kade’s pulse skyrocketed and how he shook. “There was a lot of b-blood. Th-the guy, he didn’t see me and then…” Kade let out a sob.

“You don’t have to…”

“Yes, yes I do. Ravage, he stopped the guy. H-he told me...my mom was gone. That ‘her spark had fled’, that he could smell it...I was trying to do CPR. I screamed at him that I had to-to try, for-for the baby. He did something...I can’t remember what...but it worked. And then...he comforted me. Wrapped around me like a blanket so I wouldn’t have to see any more.”

Kade took a shaky breath and wiped his eyes. “The others, they have to give up so much for me. Just to avoid my stupid triggers. And I know it’s stupid, b-but...seeing you guys and your warm metal skin...and all Ravage did was help!...It reminds me…”

And then it clicked. Heatwave rocked back on his wheels, shocked. “You wanted us to leave because we were a trigger. But you weren’t going to take that away from your family, so you tried to make us want to leave.”

“Stupid, I know…” Kade mumbled.

“Kade, does Chief know?”

“No.”

“Kade, this is serious. You need therapy, mech. You should talk to Chase too.”

Kade scoffed. “Chase?”

“Yeah, Chase. Not much ruffles him, but he’s got a thing with medics. They trigger him. But when Blades joined our team, he really needed help, and Chase didn’t have the spark to bring up any objections. As you can see, he managed to overcome it. But I wish, I wish both of you, had said something.”

Kade put a hand on the dashboard. “It’s a lot better now, Heatwave. I...don’t want you guys to leave.”

“I promise you, Kade, we won’t.” Human lives were so short. Cybertron itself might magically come to life, but he could wait for another vorn to go home.

**Author's Note:**

> First: PLEASE DO NOT CURSE IN THE COMMENTS! I will sadly have to delete them. I've got little siblings at home.  
> So, I've long had this little AU where the Burns hail from Gotham. I mean, it really would explain why Chief is not at all overwhelmed by the craziness of Griffin Rock. It's tame compared to Gotham. In fact, I like it so much it's part of my Ultimate Universe AU, just way down the line in terms of future stories. You can consider this story here a subset called Gotham Burns. (I have more if you are interested.)  
> Also, I have decided to pretend nothing after episode 90 "The More Things Change" actually happened. (Though I will incorporate the RBA cadets in my own way.) I am also choosing to believe the Bots have no clue that Optimus is fighting fellow Cybertronians.


End file.
